Coppell firefighter Michael Williams was diagnosed with bone marrow cancer in 2009. The experience gave Williams the drive to start a charity to help other firefighters with cancer take an all-expense-paid vacation. (Rose Baca/Neighborsgo)

Taking a holiday

Coppell firefighter Michael Williams says the vacation he took in 2009 with his then 8-year-old daughter Madison changed his life.

Williams had spent most of that summer being shuttled from his home in Denton to Baylor Medical Center in Dallas for radiation treatments after being diagnosed with multiple myeloma, a bone marrow cancer. Although he had great support from his family and his colleagues at the Fire Station No. 2, Williams says he needed to “get away” from his cancer.

“It was the best vacation I ever had,” he said.

Now he’s helping other firefighters do the same thing with Michael’s Memories, a nonprofit organization. The charity helps firefighters with cancer take an all-expenses paid vacation with their family. So far they’ve funded one trip a year, and they’ll award two trips at their golf tournament on July 21 in Denton.

“The families go through this just as much as the guys going through it themselves, if not more,” said Williams, 38. “Because it’s hard. It’s hard to see someone you love fight something. You want to be the one fighting it.”

Fire Capt. Jim Baird is on the board of Michael's Memories, the nonprofit Williams created to help firefighters with cancer. Baird recalls being shocked when Williams was diagnosed.(Rose Baca/Neighborsgo)

An unexpected diagnosis

Fire Capt. Jim Baird remembers when Williams was diagnosed in 2009. He and his fellow firemen were joking around about a mysterious bump on Williams’ head, calling it a “tumor” and telling Williams that he should get it checked out.

“It was shocking for all of us when he goes to a general physician and three hours later ends up at the oncologist’s office,” Baird said.

Williams’ brain tumor turned out to be the size of a baseball.

“They thought it was benign, so they were going to go in and take what they could and then do radiation on the rest,” Williams said. “They found out when they got in there during surgery that it was malignant.”

Keller firefighter David Simmons (left), who was diagnosed with leukemia, received a vacation from Michael's Memories in 2013. His wife, Kelly, hugs Michael Williams. (Submitted photo/Chris Price)

Captain Todd Bourland said he remembers the first thing Williams asked of his colleagues after he was diagnosed with cancer: To not treat him any different.

“We were really close, and we used to joke and pick on certain people on certain days,” Bourland said. “So when it was his turn, he didn’t get to skip his days to get picked on even though he had cancer. I think it helped him a lot.”

To fight the cancer, Williams began treatments at Baylor. His firefighter brethren quickly organized to help get Williams to and from his hospital appointments so that his family wouldn’t be overburdened. Williams was unable to drive himself because doctors feared he could have a seizure at any moment.

“It was a cool deal when they all came together to do that,” Williams said. “It was really neat.”

Firefighters also organized a charity golf tournament in 2009 at Riverchase Golf Course in Coppell. That event raised between $30,000 and $35,000 for Williams’ treatment.

Williams said his cancer became “stable” after four months, and he was cleared to drive. He said the first thing he did was go home, sit down at a computer and book a condo for a week in Gulf Shores, Ala., with his daughter.

“It was just awesome because of the fact that we sat there on the beach, and we didn’t have to do anything,” Williams said. “We didn’t have to be anywhere. We didn’t have to be up at 7 to be at the hospital to get radiation. You didn’t have to sit in that chair for three hours to get an infusion.”

Williams awarded his first vacation to New York City firefighter Ray Pfeifer. Pfeifer's engine company later presented Williams with the above helmet. (Submitted photo/Chris Price)

Giving back

Williams is still undergoing chemotherapy. His type of cancer never really goes away, he said. But Bourland says he’s definitely seen a change in Williams since he started Michael’s Memories.

“It was something that was real important to him that he got to take his vacation,” Bourland said. “I think it’s done great things for him, as much as the other families, to be able to send these people on vacation and give them enjoyment to their families.”

Michael’s Memories has awarded three vacations — once each year — since Williams started the charity in 2011. Their first vacation was awarded to New York City firefighter Ray Pfeifer. Pfeifer worked on Sept.11, 2001, and was one of many firefighters who worked to free people trapped in the rubble. His firehouse lost 13 colleagues that day.

UPCOMING EVENTS

2014 golf tournament: July 21 at the Oakmont Country Club in Corinth. Register for the 2014 golf tournament at birdeasepro.com/michaelsmemories. Tickets are $100 per person and $550 to sponsor a hole. A live auction will take place after the tournament.

“It was a very, very emotional story for us, and it was cool for him to be our first, “ Williams said.

This year, the charity is giving out two awards: one to Fort Worth firefighter Tim Milbocker and one to Lewisville Fire Chief Tim Tittle. Eventually, Williams wants to expand his charity so that many more firefighters, and perhaps other civil service workers, can get away from cancer.

“I wish I could send everyone in the world,” he said. “But it’s just not feasible. It’s something that we’re real passionate about because it’s part of the healing process to be able to smile and enjoy your family and hang out.”

Irving/Coppell neighborsgo editor Meredith Shamburger can be reached at 214-977-8292. Copy edited by Gary Pina. Designed by Michael Kondracki.